


Waiting For Your Return

by Ink_stained_quills



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: (mostly), AsaNoya - Freeform, Canon Compliant, I hadn’t written asanoya before, Light Angst, M/M, can you believe it’s taken this long, daisuga if you use a microscope
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-24 17:08:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22001467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ink_stained_quills/pseuds/Ink_stained_quills
Summary: Nishinoya takes it oddly personally when Asahi quits the club, and has to deal with the aftermath.Alternatively; Tanaka is a pretty good wingman, but only if you ask him that.
Relationships: Azumane Asahi/Nishinoya Yuu, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 76





	Waiting For Your Return

**Author's Note:**

> Can’t believe I haven’t written Asanoya before now? I also can’t believe Nishinoya and Suga aren’t more prominent in everything I write
> 
> Song: Classic by MKTO

“Asahiiiiiii!” Noya ran down the hallway to meet his upperclassman, beaming. “Feeling any better?” Asahi has been feeling downhearted after a tough loss to Daketo, and Nishinoya wanted to make sure he was doing alright. It wouldn’t do for their ace to take the defeat to heart! After their fight in the equipment room...

“Ah - actually, I’m going to miss club practice, Noya.” The taller boy said sheepishly.

“Whaaaaa!” Nishinoya scowled. “Why?”

Asahi looked off into the distance, sadness and something indescribable coming over his expression. “It won’t last.”

Nishinoya believes him. He believes him for a week and three days.

For some reason, it’s the longest ten days of his life.

“You alright, Noya?” Tanaka asks, poking him in the side. “You’re looking more bruised than normal.”

“Eh, just training.” He tells him, flashing a smile. It’s true - he’s been doing way more driving drills - but there’s discomfort in his heart. He decides it’s because Asahi isn’t there - their ace, his friend, someone he’s used to being around. It’s odd, and he hopes he’s coming back soon. Maybe the other third years knew?

Nishinoya walks over to Daichi, who’s standing with Suga as always. They’re whispering about something, scowling, and he files this information away as he smiles disarmingly. “Hey, Daichi-san, Suga-san, do you know when Asahi-san’s coming back?”

The two third years look at each other for a long moment, communicating in that silent way they have. 

You tell him, Suga tells Daichi with a slight incline of his head.

No, YOU tell him, Daichi thinks back.

“No telepathic conversations!” Nishinoya insists out loud. 

“We were going to tell the team today anyway,” Daichi says, “so let’s huddle up.” Suga nods, gives Nishinoya a sympathetic look, and pulls the other team members into a group.

“Asahi’s quit.”

Suga’s voice is compassionate, disappointed, and slightly disbelieving, but he’s saying the words as if resigned to them.

“How long have you known?” Tanaka snaps, glaring at the wall.

The third years wince. “A week.”

“What?” Nishinoya whispers, reeling. Asahi’s said he’d be back, right? Clearly he wasn’t, but he was his own man. Even if quitting was an asshole thing to do, it wasn’t Noya’s business. 

So then what was this - this betrayed feeling for?

~~~

“Suga-san!” He marches up to his upperclassmen after practice, hoping his distracted mood hasn’t been too obvious (who is he kidding). “Can I have Asahi-san’s phone number, please!”

Suga looks at him curiously. “You two are good friends. Why didn’t you have it before?”

“It felt…” Nishinoya hesitates, debating how to phrase his words. “I don’t know. Personal.”

“Hah!” Tanaka yells from across the room. “Since when are you afraid of getting personal?”

Noya flushes. “I’m not! This was just different, I don’t know! Suga,” he entreats, “please?”

“Yeah, mom,” Daichi says with a shit eating grin, “please?”

“Shut up, dad.” Suga grumbles goodnaturedly. Ennoshita “ooooh”s on the background. “Yeah, I’ll write -“ 

“Thanks!” Nishinoya snatches the slip of paper from his senpai and dashed to his stuff, determined smile on his face. He’ll get Asahi back or bust.

~~~

NISHINOYA (7:33pm): Asahi?

NISHINOYA (7:33pm): its nishinoya

NISHINOYA (7:34pm): when r u cmg bk 2 club?!?

NISHINOYA (7:36pm): Asahi i can c u read these

NISHINOYA (7:40): dammit Asahi 

~~~

“Asahi!” Nishinoya yells.

He’s standing in the middle of the third year’s hallway.

People are staring, looking at him.

Asahi’s not.

That hurts.

The small, rational part of him that remains is listing these facts casually, emotionless. The rest of him… is far less so.

But maybe that’s clear from the way he’s screaming at an upperclassman during passing time.

“Asahi-san, would you -“ people are whispering about the troublemaking second year with the dyed hair “- come back to club -“ maybe he’s a thug “- you’re our ace!” maybe he’s just stupid

The vice principal comes up behind him, summoned by a few students. “Nishinoya! Really, you ought to be studying instead of harassing third years, eh -“

Nishinoya pushes him against the wall.

While dramatic and most likely grade threatening, this transgression has the added effect of making Asahi turn around, finally, and face him. “Asahi…” 

“Nishinoya,” Asahi tells him, “I’m not coming back to club. They told you I’d quit, right?”

Choking back tears, Nishinoya stands stock still - for once in his life - and extends himself to his full height. Not that his full height is anything impressive, but he won’t cry. Not over this.

Even though it’s shockingly painful to watch Asahi walk away.

~~~

So he’s suspended. Of course he is, but he keeps practicing and practicing and practicing so he’s ready to play if - no, when Asahi returns to club. He practices his ass off (as if that’ll bring him back).

Everyday, he picks up the phone.

He never texts.

~~~

When he gets back, the first years have joined - Hinata, who calls him senpai straight away and earns his undying devotion, Kageyama, a genius who seems attached to Hinata at the hip yet bickers with him constantly, a sarcastic beanpole named Tsukishima and his friend/worshipper Yamaguchi, who’s got a sharper tongue and kinder heart than most realize.

Nishinoya likes them! Really, he does, but every comment Hinata makes about wanting to be the ace rubs him the wrong way.

We’ve GOT an ace, his heart snaps.

~~~

Asahi’s back!

Asahi’s back? 

Asahi’s back, and Nishinoya had no part in it. It was the “freak duo”, their peculiar brand of honesty and idiocy convincing him, and Nishinoya itches with the uncomfortable idea of not meaning enough to Asahi for it to have mattered.

How, he wonders, have they succeeded? 

“Does it matter?” Tanaka asks when he voices the question. “We’ve got our ace and, by extension, our libero back!” He wraps an arm around the shorter boy’s shoulders, cheering, and bites into his meat bun.

“Doesn’t!” Nishinoya says defensively. “Doesn’t matter at all.”

~~~

It’s a month after the suspension, Asahi’s return, and Nishinoya’s realization of emotions that until then had been ignored. He deals with it like all things: acknowledgment, acceptance, and enthusiasm.

“Asahi!” He bellows, tiny frame containing more power than the average elephant, and leaps onto his upperclassman’s back. “Take us outside!”

“Nishinoya?” Asahi yelps nervously. 

“Outside!”

Tanaka simply shakes his head, briefed on his role beforehand, and bars the gym door behind them. No one can get out on his watch - after all, he takes his role as Best Wingman very seriously.

~~~

“Okay,” Nishinoya begins, “there’s something you should know.”

Asahi fidgets, obviously becoming anxious. “Ah. Okay? Did I do something, or -“

“No!” Nishinoya waves his hand in the air. “It’ll take two seconds, and you don’t have to respond, or anything. Just listen.”

“Alright?”

Nishinoya walks back up the steps - enjoying being taller for a few moments - and gives Asahi a carefree smile. 

On the inside, he’s far from carefree. Rejection, even by a good friend (it’s worse from a close friend, let alone teammate, really) is painful. Asahi’s important to him, and Nishinoya doesn’t want to ruin that.

“I like you, Asahi.” The older boy looks up, confused as Nishinoya turns to enter the building. “I might even love you. Just thought you should know!”

Tanaka opens the door, letting him in, and the two second years start up drills.

Asahi, frozen in disbelief, remains outside for another three minutes and seventeen seconds.

~~~

After practice, Nishinoya prepares to walk home. Asahi pauses by the door, ready to leave as well. “Hey, Noya?”

“Hey, Asahi!” He chirps, aware of how childlike he sounds and wincing.

Asahi tugs him aside. “Ah, so after earlier, I was thinking -“

“You don’t have to respond.” Nishinoya tells him, slightly disheartened. “It’s fine, I wasn’t expecting -“

“Noya,” Asahi tells him, “thank you.” Then, “I’d kiss you, but there’s no way I’d have the courage for that -“

But Nishinoya’s been brave before. He’ll let Asahi kiss him later, but this time? This time is for him.

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr: socially-acceptable-username


End file.
